VERT THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES OF MARKET BASKET ARE RALLYING BEHIND THE GROCERY STORE CHAIN'S CURRENT PRESIDENT AND C-E-O. THIS COMES AFTER AN ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK, THAT THE COMPANY'S "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" WOULD BE VOTING THIS THURSDAY ON WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE THE COMPANY'S CURRENT LEADER FROM HIS POSITION. THE COMPANY IS SET TO TO OPEN ITS FIRST MAINE STORE IN BIDDEFORD THIS SUMMER. SO JUST HOW DEDICATED ARE CUSTOMERS??? W-M-T-W NEWS 8'S KATIE THOMPSON IS LIVE IN PORTSMOUTH WITH MORE.. TRACY, THEY ARE EXTREMELY DEDICATED AND THEY ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK. PEOPLE I SPOKE TO TODAY SAY THE CURRENT C-E-O, ARTHUR T. DEMOULAS, IS A FAMILIAR FACE TO BOTH CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES OF HIS STORES. THE DETAILS AS TO WHAT PROMPTED THIS DECISION TO VOTE FOR HIS REMOVAL ARE UNCLEAR... WHAT'S MORE CLEAR, HOWEVER, BY TAKING A LOOK AT THIS PETITION, IS THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF BOTH CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM GO. MAUREEN BRINEY HAS SPENT THE PAST TWO DAYS STANDING OUTSIDE OF THIS PORTSMOUTH MARKET BASKET COLLECTING SIGNATURES ON A PETITION TO KEEP THE COMPANY'S CURRENT PRESIDENT AND CEO. "to get the word out that, hey you shop here, we wanna keep it." THIS THURSDAY MARKET BASKET'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER TO REMOVE ARTHUR T. DEMOULAS, WHO'S BEEN THE CEO SINCE 2008. EMPLOYEES, LIKE ASSISTANT MANAGER JERRY PAQUETTE, WHO'S WORKED FOR THE COMPANY NOW FOR 33-YEARS, FEAR THE CHANGE IN COMMAND COULD LEAD THE COMPANY AND IT'S 74 STORES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. "prices going up, things of that nature, from a business that, you know, is known for it's low prices, we take good care of the customer, and our employees, we'd hate to see that go away." FOUNDED IN 1963, MARKET BASKET HAS MAINTAINED A REPUTATION FOR LOW PRICES. THE COMPANY HAS ALSO REMAINED DEBT FREEBUT A MARKET ANALYST WITH THE GRIFFEN REPORT, AN INDUSTRY PUBLICATION, SAYS SOME INVOLVED IN THE FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS WANT TO ASSUME NEW DEBT, TO RECAPITALIZE AND CREATE MORE VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS. BACK OUTSIDE, SHOPPERS LIKE KITTERY RESIDENT MARY ELLEN MCCOLLUM ARE ADDING THEIR NAMES TO A PETITION THAT'S GATHERED NEARLY 38-THOUSAND SIGNATURES THUS FAR. "I think its terrible, I think it's terrible. I love the store just like it is,I don't want it to change. I come here at least twice a week." A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE COMPANY'S CEO TELLS NEWS 8 MARKET BASKET MAINTAINS A PHILOSOPHY TO KEEP THE INTEREST OF IT'S CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES FIRST. A PHILOSOPHY EMPLOYEES HOPE REMAINS TRUE THURSDAY NIGHT "all we can do is stay positive hope for the best keep our support to our owner and ceo who has been doing an absolute outstanding job." HERE ARE SOME NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW BIG THIS COMPANY TRULY IS, THEY HAVE 74 STORES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MASSACHUSETTES THEY EMPLOYEE 21- THOUSAND PLUS EMPLOYEES AND SEE ABOUT 2-MILLION CUSTOMERS PER WEEK. MAINE'S FIRST STORE IS SET TO OPEN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH IN BIDDEFORD. MANAGERS HERE SAY THE STORE HAS HIRED MORE THAN FOUR-HUNDRED PART- TIME EMPLOYEES SO FAR. LIVE IN PORTSMOUTH TONIGHT KATIE THOMPSON W-M-T-W NEWS 8.